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Sports Betting Approved at Mohegan Sun Pocono

PLAINS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The much-awaited announcement has finally come at an area casino in Luzerne County. Mohegan Sun Pocono will soon be offering sports...

PLAINS TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The much-awaited announcement has finally come at an area casino in Luzerne County.

Mohegan Sun Pocono will soon be offering sports betting.

The casino got the green light Wednesday from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board in Harrisburg to open a sports betting lounge on site, making it the only casino in northeastern and central Pennsylvania to have legalized sports betting.

Casino president Tony Carlucci says there are two ways people can bet on sports at the casino in Plains Township.

“You're going to have the people that want to come, have a few drinks, have something to eat, and watch the games with their friends,” said Carlucci. “And then you're going to have the people that just want to come in really quick, put a bet in and then leave.”

Marty Bonda, a Scranton native, returns frequently to the casino from Virginia. He says this is a win for Pennsylvania.

“I think it's the best thing for the state to get sports betting because they're going to go to Delaware or other states, and they need it up here,” said Bonda.

A section near the casino's front lobby will soon be the sports betting area, and the casino specifically picked a spot close to the front entrance.

“The main reason to place it by the entrance is for the customer that just wants to pop in, place a bet, and then leave,” said Carlucci.

The casino hopes to have the sports betting lounge ready by the fall, more optimistically by the start of college football season.

Still, others at the casino say this is just another way for them to lose more money.

“I win and then I put it right back in, and that's what nine out of 10 of us do, the little bit we win, we put it right back in,” laughed Roberta Castle from Archbald.

Casino officials say they are still waiting for approval to operate online sports betting.

The expansion of gambling laws was approved by the state legislature and signed by the governor in 2017.  A Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for casino sports betting last year.

The casino in Luzerne County signed an agreement with Kindred Group to run the sports betting operation.

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